


"Can we Please Stop Running?"

by moonice20408



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Fluff, Running, exercise, fitness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 05:07:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29961387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonice20408/pseuds/moonice20408
Summary: You need to pass a fit test. Morgan helps. Seemed like a good idea at the time…
Relationships: Derek Morgan/Reader, Derek Morgan/You
Kudos: 11





	"Can we Please Stop Running?"

**Author's Note:**

> I actually had a lot of fun with this one.

Joining the BAU was like a dream come true. It was a notoriously difficult department to transfer into, and the team had quite the reputation. You had managed to put on a brave front during your interview with Agent Hotchner, but as soon as the elevator doors closed behind you on your way out, all the air left your lungs and you fell back against the wall. It had gone well. Or, you were pretty sure it did anyway. Hotch, as he’d corrected you, had seemed impressed, shaking your hand and telling you that you’d hear by the end of the week. On paper, you had the necessary qualifications and experience. 

In everything except field work. 

You’d be coming off a desk job if your transfer was accepted. And while you knew other agents had made the team without previous field experience, you couldn’t help worry. Job opportunities in the BAU were few and far between. Who knew how long you’d have to wait if this didn’t work out? You tried not to think too hard about it for the rest of the week. 

When Friday came, the first thing you did was to check your emails. Nothing. Though to be fair, it was only 8am. So, you carried on about your morning as normal. Or as normal as possible while refreshing the tab on your computer every 5 minutes. It was a little after 10 when the little notification symbol popped up. You played it cool by choking on the coffee you were sipping, gaining a number of glances from the people sat around you.

It wasn’t a yes or a no. It was a meet with me in my office at your earliest convenience. You had rushed through the last of the report you were working on before making your way to the elevator. Taking a deep breath, you stepped out, and made your way to Agent Hotchner’s office, and knocked on the door. 

“Come in.”

“Morning Sir.” You said opening the door. 

Hotch put down the pen in his hand, and stood up to shake yours. “Good morning. Please, have a seat.” 

“Well,” He started. “I have some good news, and a condition.” He half smiled at you. 

You took a deep breath in, composing yourself. A condition, oh- “Wait, good news?” Your eyebrows shot up, and you tried your best not to raise your voice too much.

He chuckled slightly. “Welcome to the team.”

There was no stopping the grin on your face. “Wow, I err…” You took a few deep breaths to calm down, trying to be professional. “Thank you, Sir.”

He smiled at you as you took it in. 

“But the, erm, condition?” You asked him, calmed enough to speak normally.

Hotch leaned forward on the desk. “Given the fact that you’ve not completed any sort of physical fitness evaluation, I can’t currently allow you to work in the field. Which is something I ask of my agents.”

You gave a slow nod. “So fit test...? I can do that.”

\- - -

You could not do this.

“Come on! Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!” Your trainer, Derek Morgan yelled, clapping his hands together from a few yards in front of you.

“Shut up, shut up, shut up.” You grunted, struggling to sound intimidating with your head rolled forward, heavily panting. 

The man just laughed. “Enough with the attitude, we got five more laps to go yet.”

You let out a loud groan, and you were pretty sure you felt your eyes tear up a little bit. “Prentiss was right…” Pant. “I’m gonna quit…” Wheeze. “By the end…” Pant. “Of the week…”

“Well, you should’ve thought ‘bout that before you agreed to let me train you.” How is he not out of breath!?

“Hotch said you already offered!” You almost shrieked. “I never agreed to anything!”

Though, there was no denying the agent was an attractive man. So, when Hotch had told you that he’d offered to help the new team member pass their fit test, you didn’t argue. Who would say no to watching Derek Morgan run around, shirtless in the sun? No one, that’s who. Except you weren’t watching, you were joining. And now you were regretting. 

Since your last job was all paperwork, you’d let your work-out routine slide. And now you had to go through the full physical fitness evaluation, just to get approved for the field. Should have thought that through before I applied. But, if all went well, by the end of the week you would have that stamp of approval in your file, and you wouldn’t have to wake up before dawn to lift weights, or run a thousand miles. 

Morgan wasn’t too bad either. Despite the constant hounding. You knew it was to get you ready for the job. He told you when you first met, it was his responsibility to get you ready, and judging by his tone, that was something he took to heart. Fortunately, the pair of you had a similar sense of humour. So, every time he told you his grandparents could do better, you could call him any name under the sun, and you’d each laugh it off. 

“There we go, four more laps, come on!”

“Ahhhh!”

Your feet kept moving automatically. Which was probably a good thing, because you couldn’t feel them. Once you stopped, you’d never get them going again. It was still pretty early, but the sun was already beaming down, and the sweat was pouring off of you. There were a few other people around you, but you couldn’t hear them over the sound of blood rushing in your ears. Are my arms meant to be this tingly? You squeezed your eyes shut for a moment, only for black dots to speckle your vision for a second when you opened them again. 

“Can we please stop running?” And you moved off the track and onto the grass before waiting for an answer. You felt your knees buckle, and you dropped down, and rolled onto your back. Closing your eyes, you reached for the water bottle clipped to your waist band. “I think I’m dying.”

A few seconds, the sun was blocked from your eyes, and you opened them to see Derek looking down at you. Sun glowing around him.

“Wow.” You huffed. “Garcia was right. You do look like a god.” 

You both laughed, and you squeezed your eyes closed again and he squatted down next to you. 

“You good?”

“If you didn’t really want me on the team, there are quicker ways to kill me.” You smirked, but you managed to pull yourself up and rested your elbows on your knees. 

He rolled his eyes, but took your wrist in his hand, and guided your water bottle back to your mouth. “Drink. Or I’ll get Reid to lecture you on the importance of staying hydrated.”

You exaggerated a gasp. “You wouldn’t!”

He smirked. “The short version is a little less than 30 minutes. Never got the long version, but I’m told it also had a Q and A at the end.”

“Oh.” You laughed, and took another swig. 

The pair off you sat there for another moment, watching other agents run around, or stretching. Working a 9-5 desk job had taken mornings like this away. On every day off you were determined to stay in bed as long as possible. You’d forgotten they could be this serene. You figured Derek spend most his mornings like this. Don’t keep that kind of figure up by sleeping in at the weekends. 

“Feeling better?” Morgan asked.

You nodded. The water helped. Maybe you did need Reid’s lecture…

Derek nodded back and stood up. You clipped the bottle back in place, and put your hands behind you to push yourself up, but…

“Hmm…”

“What?” Derek raised an eyebrow.

“Hey, yeah…” You looked up at him. “I don’t think I can move my legs…”

He stared at you for a second, before chuckling and dropping back down to sit next to you. 

“Remember a few hours ago? And I asked if you stretched?”

“I did!” You said a little too defensively. “Not my fault the fit test is so demanding! I mean, how many guys am I gonna have to chase that far?” You chuckled a little. 

Derek on the other hand just pursed his lips a little, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Well, about that…”

Your eyes narrowed at him. “About what, Derek?” You questioned slowly. 

“See, I may have slightly exaggerated the pass requirements.” He raised his hands in fake surrender, but smiling at you. 

It took a moment for his words to register. “Wh… But you said…” You blinked at him as you collected your thoughts. “By how much Derek!?”

He laughed harder now, rolling away from you and jumping up with ease. “Hey now, don’t be like that. I told you I was gonna push your limits.”

“Push my limits, not break body!” You gestured to your legs. He only laughed harder. “I cannot believe you. If I could stand right now, I swear to- Ugh!”

“Come on, sweetness,” He held a hand out to you. “You’re gonna pass this thing easy. And all thanks to me. You owe me if you think about it.”

You pouted up at him, but took his hand, and stumbled on your numb legs. 

“I don’t owe you anything. You owe me my mornings back. And the ability to walk!” You light-heartedly yelled at him, using him to support yourself. He just shook his head, leading you away. 

“I just can’t believe you lied to me.” 

“I didn’t lie. I exaggerated. Very different.” He said to you matter-of-factly.

“Nope. This is unforgivable!” You waved an arm around, and slowly let go of him as you gained the feeling back of your body. 

“Aw, you’re breaking my heart, darlin’” He placed a hand over his chest, and wiped away an imaginary tear.

“You owe me coffee. I hope you know that.” You jabbed at him. “For the rest of time.”

“Alright I’ll bite. But when you pass this fit test, you owe me.”

“I’m going to fail now. Don’t underestimate how petty I can be Derek Morgan.” Smirking at him, you turned away. You were sweaty and needed a shower before heading up to the office. 

“Um, excuse me?” You turned to see Derek still stood where he was. “Where do you think you’re goin’?”

“To shower.”

He shook his head, and gestured behind him. “Nuh-uh. We got four more laps left.”

You mouth dropped. “Umm, no.”

“Umm, yes.” He mimicked you sarcastically. 

“My legs literally just gave out!”

“And now they’re working again, come on.”

You stared at him, realising he wasn’t going to budge on this. So, you slowly made your way back to him. You rolled your eyes at him as he grinned victoriously, and the two of you set off. He didn’t rush ahead this time, and ran next to you at your pace till you ran the four laps. 

Leaning forward to catch your breath, Derek patted your back. 

“Wasn’t so bad was it?” Even without looking at him, you knew he was smirking.

The two of you began making your way back to the changing rooms.

“Milk with two sugars.” You told him, wiping the sweat from your forehead. 

“What?”

“Well since you’re getting my coffee for the rest of forever, thought you’d better know my usual.” 

“Oh really?”

“Yes really.”

He chuckled, and patted you on the back once more. “Good job today. See you upstairs.” He said, as you grabbed your bags and made your way to the showers. 

By the time you were done and dry, Derek had gone. You made your way to the elevator, knowing full well you wouldn’t make the stairs. Penelope had greeted you as you arrived, and you could see Morgan and JJ talking about something at their desks. You shuffled to your desk, about to drop your bag down, but stopped when the white paper cup caught your eye. Picking it up, it was still hot. 

Looking over to Morgan and JJ, he caught your eye and gave you a wink. You took a sip, and raised an eyebrow. Perfect. You flashed him a smile, lifting the cup to him before sitting down, and getting on with the day’s work.


End file.
